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Watch this space as these up-and-coming ingredients from Mother Earth are set to make an appearance in a beauty cabinet near you.

Back to the Future

Market researcher Mintel has forecasted ‚ÄėPlaying Mother Nature‚Äô will be one of the four beauty and personal care trends that dominate 2018. And as a results, local or traditional ingredients will become a focus for many beauty brands explains Kwek. ‚ÄúFor instance, thanaka, a century old ingredient which the Burmese use for its skincare benefits, has started to gain more
attention for its rich and interesting heritage,‚ÄĚ Kwek says. In fact, Auckland-based skincare brand, Girl Undiscovered works with local producers to obtain wild ingredients, and thanaka is a key ingredient that features in their skincare collection.¬†

Inner Beauty

Taking a closer look at what we‚Äôre eating quite often reveals a lot about future skincare trends. ‚ÄúVegan claims are on the rise much to the influence of consumer lifestyles,‚ÄĚ says Kwek. And while veganism might begin with diet, it‚Äôs really a way of life that determines what we consume and how we live, Kwek says. ‚ÄúIn turn, it has implications on how claims are being called out within the beauty space.‚ÄĚ Head of education at MECCA brands, Jacob Stanley says more brands are starting to look for vegan alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. ‚ÄúWe‚Äôre hearing more and more demand for vegan options; that‚Äôs where a lot of the research and development will happen,‚ÄĚ he says.

Cannabis on the Rise

‚ÄúI think we‚Äôre going to see more and more brands using cannabis oil,‚ÄĚ says Stanley. ‚ÄúIt has been proven to be a safe, natural extract that has powerful regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties,‚ÄĚ he explains. While cannabidiol, or CBD, has been used medicinally around the world for many years, the non-psychoactive substance found in hemp plants is not only starting to make an appearance in an array of beauty products from serums and cosmetics to haircare, but there‚Äôs growing research around the oil‚Äôs potential. US-based biotech company Phytecs found that when CBD was applied to human skin cells in a Petri dish, inflammation and the production of sebum both decreased.

Underwater Gems

The beauty world has long harnessed the healing properties of nutrient-rich species from the underwater world, and with only a fraction of marine life known to science, sea-dwelling forms of life hold potential for the beauty world and beyond. Particularly promising in the algae world is a microscopic species called euglena which is being touted as having the potential as a fuel and food alternative, as well as a nutrient-dense skincare ingredient. ‚ÄúSuperfood ingredient euglena is an ingredient that‚Äôs emerging in popularity for its nutritional benefits,‚ÄĚ explains Kwek. ‚ÄúA company in Japan has pioneered in the usage of euglena in beauty, providing UV protection, anti-ageing benefits and collagen for the skin.‚ÄĚ According to the company, aptly named after the potent microalgae, 59 nutrients have been found in euglena including fatty acids which are usually only found in fish.

Nature‚Äôs Best

As the clean beauty revolution continues, we‚Äôll see more efficacious superfoods cropping up in our skincare routines. Turmeric, matcha, green tea, kale and pomegranate are just a handful of the nutrient-packed ingredients from Mother Earth that will make a more prominent appearance in our beauty cabinet. Rich in free-radical fighting antioxidants, pomegranate seed oil, a star ingredient for natural beauty brand Weleda, helps to encourage cell renewal and regeneration, while revitalising and rehydrating skin.

Good Oils

Plant and seed-derived oils are nothing new, but Murad‚Äôs Asia Pacific global educator David Whyte, says we‚Äôll experience round two of supercharged skin oils very soon. ‚ÄúPeople are over their fear of oil, they realise it‚Äôs not going to clog pores and that there are oils for different skin types. Oil really is your friend,‚ÄĚ he says.